Mazda CX-3 prices and specs

Mazda CX-3 shares much with its Mazda 2 baby brother

Mazda says the CX-3 has the same torsional rigidity as the 3 hatchback

The CX-3’s engine line-up includes two 2.0-litre petrol units and the 104bhp 1.5-litre diesel

The CX-3 has a 40mm higher ride height than the Mazda 2 supermini

The pillars are a contrasting black no matter which trim level you go for

There's no incremental step up in wheel size to go with higher trims. The CX-3 has 16in alloys until you get to top-spec Sport Nav, then 18s suddenly appear

The headlights house standard halogen bulbs if you buy SE or SE-L trim; Sport Nav cars have all-LED headlights and tail-lights

LED foglights are standard on SE-L trim and above

The 'wing' grille's higher positioning and broader appearance helps to distinguish the CX-3 from its supermini sibling

The front seats are good and the driving position is sound

Head and- legroom are better than in a supermini but not outstanding for a crossover

You get slightly better rear legroom than in a Mazda 2 but very little improvement in headroom. Adult passengers are much better off elsewhere

Circular air vents, with their gloss black and red trim, are the most expressive styling features of the whole interior

Instruments are a little over-stylised for our liking. Digital rev counter in particular is small and quite hard to read

Mazda deserves credit for fitting a 7.0in colour touchscreen multimedia system as standard on a sub-£18k car

The CX-3's 350-litre boot with the seats up isn't the widest in class, but it's quite deep. The false floor makes it even easier to load

CX-3's diesel engine is flexible and endows the CX-5 with slightly quicker acceleration than the class norm

The Mazda suffers from a restless ride and the diesel model is short on grip

It's worth noting the petrol CX-3 is a much better-handling, better-resolved car than this diesel model

A concerning dip in form from Mazda: pacey but pricey and lacking poise